Soaking/Freezing Nuts

[Gittel]

Can I soak nuts and then freeze them until I am ready to use them? I can't seem to get the timing of things right. When I'm ready to make something, the prep time doesn't work for me. Thanks for your help!

Gittel

[raweater]

I often have the same problem and often avoid recipes that require soaking (that's why there will be none or very few in the recipe book I'm writing).

I think freezing soaked nuts may cause problems due to the water expanding inside them as they freeze. I think you could probably put them in the fridge for at least 1-2 days, it would probably be best to not refrigerate them still in water to not let the soaking process continue.

Also, do the recipes require that they still be soaked? If not, you can dehydrate them after soaking.

[Coonlie]

I store my soaked/dehydrated nuts in the freezer all the time. I also have frozen soaked and not-dehydrated nuts before but don't do that often. Just allow them time to thaw and they're fine in any recipe.

[Gittel]

Coonlie, do you mean that you dehydrate your nuts and THEN freeze them. Why? What is the advantage of this?

[raweater]

Why would they need to be frozen if they have been dehydrated? I have kept soaked/dehydrated nuts at room temp for a long time (weeks if not months) without problems.

[Coonlie]

I didn't mean to imply that dehydrated nuts need to be stored in the freezer - just saying that I do. I have more storage room in the freezer than the cupboard. :p I soak/dehydrate a big batch and then keep a small amount in the cupboard and put the rest in the freezer. Just the way it works for me in my kitchen. :)

[Gittel]

Thanks, Coonlie. How long do you dehydrate nuts? How do you know when they are "ready"?

Gittel